Disclaimer: My bunny Temi and I are sadly honored to inform you guys, that I do not own Bleach.
This one... I have no idea where it came from.
#PomH
Like clockwork, almost silent steps resounded through the walls of the long hallway. Aizen turned his eyes towards the door, and almost expectantly stayed still as if afraid that the sound was a mere illusion.
The steps stopped at the foot of his door, and the shuffling of someone settling down was heard before a faint thump echoed through his small cell.
"Any news," he asked even though he already knew the answer "Ichigo?"
The orange head sighed softly from the other side of the door before relaxing his stiff posture and falling limp against the wall he had chosen to recline himself on. He sat there in silence, trying to make sense of his own thoughts with the small reprieve he was given.
"It is lonely." He states not for the first time. "I hadn't really understood it… back then."
Aizen closes his eyes slowly as he too relaxes his posture against his own piece of wall. He opens his eyes again, but they seem much dimer than they had been not half a minute before.
"Back then," he seems to whisper into the empty cell "do you mean that time I tried to become Spirit King?"
Ichigo nods from his position outside even though he knows Aizen couldn't see him. He still knows the man would have understood his silence, and so no verbal answer was really necessary.
"Now that I think back," he begins again "I had thought you had given up."
The orange head mulls over his words before scoffing lightly as if to show his own indignation.
"I actually had." He reveals causing the brunet to turn his head towards the door fast enough to give himself a whiplash.
He stares "But you came after me."
Ichigo hums in agreement before closing his eyes as scenes of that battle flash against his eyelids. He opens his eyes once his last attack against the very man he is conversing with happens, and quickly wishes he hadn't.
"Goat-face," he states as if he were really just figuring out a particularly hard puzzle "he insisted we go after you even though we both knew it was futile."
Aizen nods to himself as if already expecting that "Shiba didn't realize the difference in our strengths because he couldn't sense my power anymore. Humans tend to overlook their fear when they do not see what they are scared of."
Ichigo stays quiet, and for a second he almost thinks the orange head has left with a sudden mastery of silent walking. But then the orange head heaves out a giant sigh that has him raising a brow.
"I could." He reveals "I could always understand your reiatsu, even back then. Goat-face had been surprised, I just hadn't known why."
If Aizen hadn't been observing the metal door he would have done a double take. Even then he contemplates the orange head's words and tries to make sense out of them at the best of his ability.
"I was never really above you, was I?" he questions, almost as if it were directed at himself and not really expecting an answer.
"I hadn't known." Ichigo clarifies "He asked me what I was going to do?" he takes a deep breath as he glances up to the musky ceiling. "'Are you going to sit there and cry because you couldn't protect someone again?' That really hit the nail."
"And so you came after me stronger then before and brought me to my knees." He summarizes as he hums in resignation "You always overcame yourself and now…" Aizen trailed off, as if afraid of saying it out loud.
"Now our positions areflipped and my reiatsu is the one no can really understand anymore."
They both stay in companionable silence as the truth was laid out to them. Ichigo had really been the only one to understand how lonely Aizen was from a single clash of blades, while Aizen is the only one who knows what Ichigo is currently going through. They are their greatest enemies, yet the best of friends.
"I wonder," Aizen breaks the silence "why they let you come here every day, unguarded."
Ichigo snorted "You think they'd let me come in? They would think we're plotting world domination or something just as ridiculous."
"We could." Aizen points out "Make the world bow to our feet and overthrow those corrupt men from their pedestal."
The orange head thinks about it, even if only for half a second before the faces of his friends, family and even Aizen flash through his mind and thinks no. "That's not the answer." He says instead "We may be strong and above others, but the greater we are, the harder we will fall."
Aizen stays silent as a small smile curves his lips. He had known the answer would be no, he just hadn't expected the reasoning. Honestly, Kurosaki Ichigo could never fail to overcome his expectations.
"Oh well," he drawls lazily "I guess we'll have to condemn ourselves with sharing a prison cell someday. You and I both know Central 46 well enough to predict their future orders."
"Someday," Ichigo whispers as he stands up and dusts his hakama pants "but when that happens, we both know what will happen."
The smile that curves the corners of Aizen's mouth was genuine, as it was expectant.
"That'll be fun to orchestrate." His smile widens "The day local hero, Kurosaki Ichigo says no more." He starts to laugh as Ichigo's steps become softer and farther "I would love to be a fly on the wall when Central 46 hears it."
Ichigo's smile widens with glee as he exits the hallway and closes the door with a resounding groan. His eyes brighten; he's actually looking forward to it.
Aizen must be seriously rubbing off on him.
Not to be continued...
A/N: Number four people. Give recommendations.